Browser for Use in Navigating a Body of Information, with Particular Application to Browsing Information Represented by Audiovisual Data

Abstract

A method for enabling a user to review a body of information that includes first and second segments from respective first and second information sources includes: storing second segment digital data representing the second segments; receiving an indication that the user has selected for display a particular first segment; identifying one or more of the second segments that are related to the particular first segment by comparing first segment digital data to the second segment digital data; and providing display digital data for display of one or more representations or portions of the identified second segments contemporaneously with display of the particular first segment. The display digital data enables the displayed representations or portions of the second segments to be selected by the user when displayed.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A method for enabling a user to review a body of information that includes first segments from first information sources and second segments from second information sources, the method comprising:
 storing on a data storage device second segment digital data representing at least portions of the second segments;   receiving at one or more processors an indication that the user has selected for display on a user interface a particular first segment of the first segments;   in response to the indication, identifying via one or more processors one or more of the second segments that are related to the particular first segment by comparing first segment digital data that is stored and represents at least a portion of the particular first segment to the second segment digital data to determine whether, according to one or more predetermined criteria, any of the second segments are related to the particular first segment; and   providing from one or more processors display digital data for the display of one or more representations or portions of the one or more of the second segments contemporaneously with the display of the particular first segment on a display device, the display digital data enabling the one or more representations or portions of the one or more of the second segments to be selected by the user when displayed for further display of the one or more of the second segments.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving via a data acquisition device original digital data representing the particular first segment;   deriving via one or more processors the first segment digital data from the original digital data; and   storing the first segment digital data on a data storage device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first segment digital data and second segment digital data are stored on different data storage devices. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more representations or portions of the one or more of the second segments include one or more thumbnail images selectable by the user when displayed for further display of the one or more of the second segments. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more predetermined criteria include:
 a threshold based on degree of relatedness;   a predetermined number of allotted displays of representations or portions of the second segments contemporaneously with the particular first segment; and   only those representations or portions of the second segments that satisfy the threshold are eligible for the predetermined number of allotted displays.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more predetermined criteria further include eliminating redundant ones of the second segments. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the providing includes providing the display digital data from the second segment digital data. 
     
     
         10 . A method for enabling a user to review a body of information comprising information segments, the method comprising:
 determining via one or more processors that a first segment of the information segments has been selected by the user for display on a user interface;   identifying via one or more processors one or more second segments of the information segments that are related to the first segment, the identifying including:
 comparing first digital data that is stored and represents at least a portion of the first segment to second digital data that is stored and represents at least portions of other segments of the information segments; and 
 determining from the comparing whether the first segment is related to any of the other segments; and 
   providing third digital data from the second digital data for display on the user interface of one or more representations or portions of the one or more second segments contemporaneously with the display of the first segment, the third digital data enabling the one or more representations or portions of the one or more second segments to be selected by the user when displayed for further display of the one or more second segments.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving via a data acquisition device fourth digital data representing the first segment;   deriving via one or more processors the first digital data from the fourth digital data; and   storing the first digital data on a data storage device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving via a data acquisition device the second digital data; and   storing the second digital data on a data storage device.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second digital data are stored on different data storage devices. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more representations or portions of the one or more second segments include one or more thumbnail images selectable by the user when displayed for further display of the one or more second segments. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the determining includes determining whether the first segment is related to any of the other segments according to one or more predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more predetermined criteria include:
 a threshold based on degree of relatedness;   a predetermined number of allotted displays of representations or portions of the other segments contemporaneously with the first segment; and   only those representations or portions of the other segments that satisfy the threshold are eligible for the predetermined number of allotted displays.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more predetermined criteria further include eliminating redundant ones of the other segments. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the information segments include first information segments from first information sources and second information segments from second information sources; and   the first segment is one of the first information segments and the other segments are ones of the second information segments.   
     
     
         19 . A method for enabling a user to review a body of information comprising information segments, the method comprising:
 determining via one or more processors that a first segment of the information segments has been selected by the user for display on a display device;   using correlation results to identify via one or more processors a second segment of the information segments that is related to the first segment, the correlation results are from correlating first digital data that is stored on a data storage device and represents at least portions of the information segments to determine which of the information segments are related to each other; and   providing via one or more processors second digital data for the display of the first segment and third digital data for display of a representation or portion of the second segment contemporaneously with the display of the first segment on the display device, the third digital data enabling the representation or portion of the second segment to be selected by the user when displayed for further display of the second segment.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 storing on a data storage device fourth digital data that represents the information segments;   wherein the providing includes providing the second and third digital data from the fourth digital data.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the representation or portion of the second segment includes a thumbnail image selectable by the user when displayed for further display of the second segment. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the correlation results are based on one or more predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more predetermined criteria include degree of relatedness. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more predetermined criteria include eliminating redundant ones of the information segments. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising obtaining the correlation results. 
     
     
         26 . A method for enabling a user to review a body of information comprising information segments, the method comprising:
 obtaining via one or more processors correlation results from correlating first digital data that is stored on a data storage device and represents at least portions of the information segments to determine which of the information segments are related to each other;   determining via one or more processors that a first segment of the information segments has been selected by the user for display on a user interface;   using the correlation results to identify via one or more processors a second segment of the information segments that is related to the first segment; and   providing via one or more processors second digital data for the display of the first segment and third digital data for display of a representation or portion of the second segment contemporaneously with the display of the first segment on the user interface, the third digital data enabling the representation or portion of the second segment to be selected by the user when displayed for further display of the second segment.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 storing fourth digital data that represents the information segments on a data storage device;   wherein the providing includes providing the second and third digital data from the fourth digital data.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the representation or portion of the second segment includes a thumbnail image selectable by the user when displayed for further display of the second segment. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the correlation results are based on one or more predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more predetermined criteria include degree of relatedness. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more predetermined criteria include eliminating redundant ones of the information segments.